Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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REFERENDUM IS STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH BEIJING: VICE PRESIDENT

Taipei, Feb. 16 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu said Monday that
President Chen Shui-bian's call for a referendum March 20 alongside
the presidential election is a strategy for dealing with Beijing.

Speaking at rallies in southern Taiwan's Pingtung County of
supporters of the Chen-Lu ticket, who are seeking re-election in the
upcoming presidential race, Lu said that the referendum is aimed at
making the people aware of Beijing's missile threat against Taiwan
and thus increasing their anti-missile sentiment on the one hand,
while seeking to hold "peaceful talks" with Beijing on the other.

Lu claimed that if Chen had not called the referendum, a majority
of Taiwan people might not have noticed that Beijing has deployed
nearly 500 missiles targeting Taiwan.

The referendum will also help obtain international support for
asking Beijing to dismantle the missiles, she continued.
"Taiwan is not a part of China," Lu stressed, adding that it is a
maritime country and that she will suggest that the Executive Yuan
establish a ministry of oceanic affairs.

Beijing opposes Taiwan's planned referendum because it is afraid
Hong Kong and Tibet will follow in Taiwan's footsteps, according to
the vice president.

Chen has placed two questions to be voted on in the referendum:
Should the government buy new anti-missile systems to counter
Beijing's increasing build-up of missiles targeting Taiwan? And
should the government open talks with Beijing to establish a peaceful
and stable framework for cross-Taiwan Strait interaction?